Analysis: Berlin’s Panzer Fear
Without weapons there is no democracy: everything else is a dream
Germany still refuses to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. But too much restraint on the tank issue could spell the death knell for democracy in Kyiv.
Published: 20 minutes ago
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Olaf Scholz ducks under the gun barrel of a German Leopard 2 tank.
Samuel Schumacherforeign reporter
There was a time when German tanks were a most unwelcome sight in Eastern Europe. Today, however, the rolling Rheinmetall Leopards in Warsaw and Kyiv are more popular than anything else. But while Poland already has several of the world’s most powerful main battle tanks in its barracks, Ukraine must continue to wait for the Leopard 2 tanks.
Berlin doesn’t want to deliver – at least not before all the other neo-allied ones also deliver. This was emphasized again at the meeting with allies at the US army base in Ramstein (D) on Friday.
Bern shows Berlin the “Scholzing” master
Switzerland is the very last country that could afford to criticize Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64) for his reticence. «Scholzing» – by historian Timothy Garton Ash defined as “communicating good intentions and then inventing every conceivable reason to prevent them” – masters Bundesbern with regard to military aid for Ukraine just as well as the SPD Chancellor.
The workplaces of hesitation in Berlin and Bern should therefore be reminded in equal parts: Democracy is not a sure-fire success. It will not come and stay as US political scientist Francis Fukuyama (70) once predicted. Democracy must be able to defend itself by force of arms against everything that seeks it – especially in its fragile early stages during the arduous metamorphosis from post-Soviet corruption hub to western-minded freedom nation.
Without tanks, the pandemic of evil rages on
Without a backdrop of threats and massive protective measures, what is morally right and beautiful cannot assert itself against the ugliness of this world. Even the Mona Lisa hides behind bulletproof glass. And the Pope has just had the Swiss Guard increased by 25 guards to a target of 135.
But armored glass or traditionally clad giants are not doing the job for Ukraine. She needs main battle tanks and ammunition. They are the “vaccination against tyranny,” as Volodymyr Zelensky (44) recently said. Without them, the pandemic of evil will continue to rage this year.